Last March we were very happy to welcome Alice Krueger to the HKW in Berlin. She was invited to give a speech about “People with Disabilities in Virtual Worlds”. In the same time she spoke (in the framework of the ZDF ‘Bodybits’ project call) for our documentary Login2Life in which she is taking part as the main character (out of seven). You can download the mp3 of her presentation here. A short summary taken from the HKW website:

ALICE B. KRUEGER (HEAD OF THE VIRTUAL ABILITY SUPPORT COMMUNITY FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES INSIDE SECOND LIFE)

PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES IN VIRTUAL WORLDS

(in English language)

TUE 29.03.2011 | 19:00 h | Admission: Day ticket 5 €/3 €

Virtual worlds are becoming increasingly popular. Many features of virtual worlds mirror what is called the “real world”. Which features of virtual worlds are virtual?

People with real-world disabilities are able to access virtual worlds, sometimes using assistive technology to do so. Second Life is a virtual world where people with many different kinds of disabilities find real benefits, including medical, learning and social benefits. The Virtual Ability community in Second Life helps people using assistive technology become successful in that virtual world.
Daniel Moshel’s film highlights some of the benefits to people with disabilities of being in a virtual world. The film contrasts the lives of people when they are inside and outside the virtual world.

Alice B. Krueger is presently fully disabled due to Multiple Sclerosis. She is President of Virtual Ability, Inc., which is a small nonprofit charitable corporation. The purpose of Virtual Ability, Inc. is to support the work of the Virtual Ability community in virtual worlds such as Second Life. Prior to becoming disabled, Alice Krueger was an education researcher. She is a published author and editor in the field of science education.

People with real-world disabilities are able to access virtual worlds, sometimes using assistive technology to do so. Second Life is a virtual world where people with many different kinds of disabilities find real benefits, including medical, learning and social benefits. The Virtual Ability community in Second Life helps people using assistive technology become successful in that virtual world.
Daniel Moshel’s film highlights some of the benefits to people with disabilities of being in a virtual world. The film contrasts the lives of people when they are inside and outside the virtual world.

Alice B. Krueger is presently fully disabled due to Multiple Sclerosis. She is President of Virtual Ability, Inc., which is a small nonprofit charitable corporation. The purpose of Virtual Ability, Inc. is to support the work of the Virtual Ability community in virtual worlds such as Second Life. Prior to becoming disabled, Alice Krueger was an education researcher. She is a published author and editor in the field of science education.

The whole presentation took place in the same time at  the auditorium of Virtual Abuility Island in Second Life. Thus an international audience was able to follow her presentation and  got the chance later to participate  in the Q&A. The live audience in Berlin was pretty amazed when Alice zoomed out  from the big projected powerpoint screen in Second Life revealing all the other digital participants. That is why we decided to publish her really interesting speech here. I hope you enjoy it. Please seed .-)